Wendy Peters Email and Phone Number

Responsible for sourcing and evaluating external preclinical opportunities for the Immunology and Inflammation research unit. Remit focuses on rheumatology, gastroenterology, and dermatology indications. In addition role includes sourcing and evaluating academic collaboration opportunities for Pfizers Centers for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI), which focuses on joint drug discovery partnerships with academia.

The External Science and Partnering group at Sanofi sits within Strategy and Business Development. Responsibilities included the sourcing and evaluation of early-stage opportunities through to clinical proof of concept. Worked closely with immunology research and development stakeholders, as well as the commercial group at Sanofi Genzyme to understand Sanofi’s external partnering priorities so that strategically aligned assets were brought forward. My twenty-year immunology background in biotech and the academic community provided a rich scientific network allowing the identification of quality innovative technologies.

Led IND enabling preclinical work for HSV-2 therapeutic vaccine program. Managed CRO and academic collaborators performing efficacy testing in animal disease models. Led IND enabling T cell preclinical work for prophylactic Ebola vaccine.

Developed preclinical T cell immunogenicity program for HSV-2, influenza and Ebola vaccine targets. Managed immunology team in developing and executing cellular T cell assays to investigate polyfunctionality, and memory responses in Phase I clinical trials for H5N1 and H1N1 prophylactic influenza vaccines.

Investigated novel adjuvants as a basis for new vaccine targets platform. Developed animal models and cell-based assays to test immunogenicity of several prophylactic HSV-2 vaccine candidates.

Investigated the mechanism of action (MOA) of plasmid DNA vaccines for treatment of multiple sclerosis and insulin dependent diabetes type I. Managed research associate (RA) team investigating MOA using the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS and the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of IDDM. Managed RA team investigating MOA using clinical patient samples from Phase I and Phase II clinical trials.

Principal investigator on RO3 and R21 NIAID funded projects evaluating CCR2 and CCR7 as targets for the treatment of Anthrax infection. Discovered distinct roles for monocyte chemoattractant proteins (MCP)-1, 2, 3 after infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Identified synergistic roles for chemokine receptors CCR2 and CX3CR1 in host protection from M. tuberculosis infection. Investigated roles for bioactive lipids in dendritic cell chemotaxis in cancer.

Determined a mechanism for defects in IFN-gamma production exhibited by CCR2 knockout mice. Discovered that CCR2 is essential for protection from M. tuberculosis infection. Discovered using bone marrow transplant chimeras that T cells rely on macrophage recruitment to the lungs for their migration.

Mentor: Dr. Brian FlanaganProject: To identify splice variants of the adhesion molecule CD44 in human tumor biopsies.Determined association of CD44 splice variant V6 with metastatic tumors.